ALLENTOWN, Pa.—An eastern Pennsylvania judge has refused to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty against one of two suspects accused of having gunned down a man and a woman in an alley over a $250 drug debt.

The (Allentown) Morning Call ( http://bit.ly/S2gQZh) says Lehigh County Judge James Anthony denied the request on behalf of 28-year-old John Boyd of Allentown. Public defender Karen Schular argues that a hearing should be held before prosecutors are allowed to seek capital punishment, and she says she may appeal.

Boyd and a 16-year-old youth are charged in the December slayings of 37-year-old Steven Santiago of New York City and 34-year-old Adrian Ramirez of Allentown. Prosecutors cited four reasons for seeking the death penalty against Boyd, including torture and placing others at risk.

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Information from: The Morning Call, http://www.mcall.com